Dinner party for four: Is Nevada a political game-changer or a primary wannabe?
All three Democratic presidential hopefuls are set to join Senate minority leader Harry Reid at a party dinner in Nevada on Jan. 6, six weeks before the state鈥檚 presidential caucus.
The former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and former Maryland Gov. Martin O鈥橫alley are featured together at an event in Nevada, following the Democratic debate on Oct. 13.聽聽
All three Democratic candidates, and several Republican candidates, have already focused on the western state individually and this dinner suggests Nevada鈥檚 growing importance in the 2016 presidential election.聽
鈥淵ou鈥檙e part of the big four in February. It鈥檚 hugely important,鈥� GOP candidate Jeb Bush told reporters in Reno Wednesday after a campaign rally.聽
So why are presidential candidates from both parties courting Nevada鈥檚 favor? Political pundits need to look no further than its new early-voting status and growing Hispanic population.
鈥淣evada is than Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, with an expanding active Latino population, as well as a growing melting pot of other cultures,鈥� argues Elaine Hurd, the author of the "Let鈥檚 Talk Nevada" blog.
According to the 2014 US Census, identifies as Hispanic or Latino, well above the 17.4 percent national average.
And while the Hispanic population of nearly 8000,000 is far less than the state's non-Hispanic population of 2 million, it's no secret that this demographic could be a . Between 2000 and 2012, the Hispanic population grew by almost 49 percent, and the Pew Hispanic Center projects in the Hispanic electorate before 2030.
And as of 2008, Nevada is the third state after Iowa and New Hampshire to vote in a presidential primary. The past two election cycles have been somewhat of an experiment, with candidates describing the process as "confusing" and "complicated."
But even with a building focus, presidential candidates have yet to put Nevada on the same playing field as Iowa, New Hampshire, or even South Carolina.
鈥淐andidates insist Nevada is important, though ,鈥� argued McClatchy DC鈥檚 David Lightman in October.
Sen. Sanders, for example, has 60 paid staffers in Iowa, 40 in New Hampshire and only seven in Nevada. And according to the National Journal鈥檚 Travel Tracker, GOP candidates Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Donald Trump have visited South Carolina a combined total of 48 times since May, compared to during the same time period.
Jeb Bush symbolized the simultaneous political apathy for Nevada during his speech in Reno Wednesday, and was quickly corrected by a shouting audience.聽聽
But even though Nevada asserts its own importance in many ways, some experts say political candidates should be more focused on the Silver State.聽
Nevada has in every presidential election since 1980, electing Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama to their two terms as president. David Damore, an associate professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, says Nevada hasn鈥檛 become a swing state 鈥� 鈥�.鈥�
